Charity begins at home; before pointing at transport barriers in the East African Community, let’s first seek to remove the logs blocking the system to our rural communities.
Much as we talk about transport bottlenecks impeding regional growth of East African Community (EAC), individual nations of the region equally need doses of transformation.
The focus of eliminating these barriers across the region could be only improving linkage from one member state to another or to major cities, cross-border. However, the burden of enhancing greater networks and connectivity for trade and economic growth lies upon each member state.
Top-bottom theorem development won’t generate indigenous growth in East Africa. Copy-pasting a colonial philosophy which only targeted the African continent as a market for finished products and raw materials, will further derail the region.
The regional transport system development is not bad but each member state must take great emphasis on increasing the network to reach rural areas, too.
Taking the Republic of Rwanda as a case study, one good and service land the capital city or at the cargo deport in the country, it won’t be a problem to reach the rural areas. Likewise, rural movement to cities is easy, so that’s the way to go.
Transport systems development to enhance rural growth must be a priority, to balance in and outflow of goods and services.
Literary, products and labour from the rural areas must not be suffocated due to poor transport systems, rendering the communities at the receiving end and poor.
Unless, the domestic transport system upgrades to match the regional or supplements it, there is bound to be regional development imbalance whereas some areas feed the markets while others serve as recipients.